


Healthy Competition

by rarepairqueen



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Aftercare, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Bottom!Kuroo, First Kiss, First Time, Fluff and Smut, Love Confessions, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mutual Pining, Slow Burn, worrying about the future
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-23
Updated: 2018-01-23
Packaged: 2019-03-08 14:16:36
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 14,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13460001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rarepairqueen/pseuds/rarepairqueen
Summary: Both captains like each other and are oblivious to it.Kuroo's too paranoid about his alignment to confess to Bokuto.Bokuto's too paranoid about people assuming he just wants sex from Kuroo to confess to the other.Nekoma and Fukurodani are collectively done with their captains.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [trash__universe](https://archiveofourown.org/users/trash__universe/gifts).



> So this is a thing now, inspired by a certain person reblogging a tumblr post about how they want more bottom!Kuroo and then some back and forth fic ideas that ended up being this 14K monster.
> 
> Also my first proper attempt at a slow burn fic so hopefully that came out well.
> 
> I also now want to ship BokuKuro more so thanks for that Maxx.

 

 

"Kuro can you not?"

"Pft, you like it really, otherwise you would've roundhouse kicked me."

Kenma narrowed his eyes at his games console. "I'm not that violent."

A low chuckle came from behind him, fingers combed through his hair slowly. The clicking of buttons and high pitched chirps from the small speakers filled the air as Kuroo continued to play with his hair.

"Yaku's got this effect on people, at least that's _my_ theory."

"Yeah, it's called getting fed up with you."

Kuroo gasped, pretending to be hurt by Kenma's accusation all the while splitting the blond stands into sections. "Now, is that any way to speak to your best friend as he's braiding your hair?"

"Yeah."

"Kenma!"

"I didn't ask you to braid my hair, you just _decided_ to do it." Kenma barely looked away from the screen as Kuroo craned around to catch his eye. The setter tried to stop the small smirk on his face as he caught a glance at Kuroo's puppy-eyed expression. " _Fine._ " He huffed, smiling a little as Kuroo snorted. "Go on then."

"See, you do love it really." Kuroo hummed as he continued braiding Kenma's hair.

It was a lazy Sunday afternoon, their homework was complete; textbooks and notepads crammed back into school bags, Kenma's parents were out and not intending on coming home until that evening, the TV schedule had yielded nothing of interest and it was still a touch too cold to venture outside for fun.

Kuroo continued humming softly as he gently twisted Kenma's hair into the braid he was imagining. He knew that Kenma would probably take it out within an hour of him finishing it, but he found the process calming. It gave him time to think about the more mundane things.

"Say," Kuroo spoke up, the small sigh from Kenma indicating his timing was impeccable as usual. "when's your next cycle starting?"

"Two weeks." Kenma replied in a monotone voice. "You?"

"Eh...three." Kuroo shrugged. "Hopefully it won't clash with that practice match I scheduled."

"That's your own fault if it does." Kenma's button mashing stepped up a notch. "And it's also you're own fault for not putting yourself on medication."

Kuroo pouted, reaching across the bed to fish out a hair tie from the pot of 'random things' and begin securing the braid. "Yeah well I'd rather not pump myself full of drugs, if I get too reliant then god knows how my body will react."

There was a pause as Kenma allowed him to secure the braid in place. The game noises ceasing as he paused the action and twisted around to face Kuroo.

"You're smart enough to know that those drugs don't affect us _that_ much." He started toying with the sleeve on his hoodie. "Besides, if you keep trying to schedule matches around your cycle, someone's gonna find out soon."

Kuroo huffed. "Good point. But I just don't want people assuming shit y'know?"

Kenma nodded. They'd had this conversation way back when they both presented. Kuroo was fine with the alignment of omega, what he wasn't fine with was the stereotypes that came with it. He had exercised a lot of self-control in his time at Nekoma and managed to avoid going into heat during any practice matches.

Kuroo liked to _think_ that no-one had noticed his scent, that everyone was oblivious in regards to his alignment. But the reality was the entire team knew exactly what he was, they just respected him too much to bring it up.

"Who's the practice match with?" Kenma asked.

"Fukurodani." Kuroo smiled. "Can't wait to see how Bo's gonna react to Lev."

Kenma snorted, it was the first meeting of the two teams since recruiting the first years. Lev and Inuoka were their new additions so Kuroo was eager to show them off to Bokuto and test them against the slightly more seasoned team.

There was also another reason for the smile.

"You mean you can't wait to see Bokuto in general." Kenma raised an eyebrow.

"Hey, he's my bro." Kuroo immediately defended.

"Uh-huh."

"Kenma--"

"No," Kenma put up his hands in surrender "sure, he's just your bro."

Kuroo's cheeks reddened a little as he laughed nervously. "I-I don’t know what you're talking about."

There was another poorly kept secret at Nekoma; Kuroo had a huge crush on one of his best friends. Kenma had been privy to far too many conversations between the two captains _and_ Kuroo's post conversation fawning. Kuroo may be his captain, and he may have to show him some respect on the court, but he was also Kenma's best friend. Therefore Kenma had every right to tease him.

"Uh-huh, if you say so." Kenma smiled, he'd be lying if he didn't get a little enjoyment out of seeing Kuroo getting more flustered at the unspoken accusation. Kuroo was pretty good at giving off a confident aura in school but the reality was, he was a nervous wreck when it came to anything involving 'feelings'.

"I _do_!" Kuroo's voice cracked slightly as he objected a little louder than necessary, causing Kenma to burst into a fit of giggling.

"Sure Tetsurou, whatever you say." Kenma sighed, shifting on the bed.

The reddened cheeks weren't going away anytime soon as Kuroo huffed again, puffing out his cheeks as he shook his head. He could sense that Kenma wasn't going to drop this any time soon.

"Alright, fine, what are you getting at?" He conceded defeat.

Kenma raised an eyebrow in response. Kuroo gave him an unimpressed pout for a split second before running a hand through his hair.

" _Fine_. I might...have...well I uh--" Kuroo vaguely gestured to the air. "y'know."

"No I don't." Kenma replied completely straight-faced.

"Kenma you little shit." Kuroo uttered with a smile.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Kenma shrugged.

Kuroo inhaled heavily before springing forward and tackling Kenma before starting to tickle the setter. Kenma had expected a stunt being pulled but finding himself being mercilessly tickled wasn't on that list. They both laughed as Kenma tried to bat Kuroo away, wriggling and kicking out at him until Kuroo relented.

"As you were saying?" Kenma said, Kuroo was half led on top of him as they caught their breath back.

"...I hate you."

"No you don't." Kenma snorted. "You just hate that I've noticed it."

Kuroo hummed. "Fine. I have a thing for Bo."

"A thing. Gee that doesn't sound perverse at all."

"A _crush_ , please I have more manners than that."

Kenma snorted, stifling a giggle. "Yeah, right."

"You and I both know I'm still a virgin so shut your mouth."

"Being a virgin doesn't equate to your perverse levels."

"Alright!" Kuroo abruptly sat up. "Enough of that conversation, do you want a drink or something?"

Kenma nodded. "Sure, I'm going back to beating this boss." He held up his games console and rolled onto his stomach.

Kuroo rolled his eyes slightly but smiled all the same, shuffling to the end of the bed and standing up. He had spent enough time at Kenma's house over the years to know where everything was, he was practically a second son to the other's parents. 

As he peered into the fridge for inspiration on what to do for a drink, his mind started wandering to the match scheduled for three weeks' time. He somewhat wished he had been more adamant about having it sooner when he spoke to Nekomata about it, the old man had simply said that Lev and Inouka needed time to fully sync with Kenma before they could test them against one of the top aces in the country.

The fact that Kuroo had a crush on said ace was partly fuelling the desire to see him sooner. He wasn't sure when it had started, whether he had always been drawn to Bokuto since they met in their first year or whether it was since he presented a year ago. They had just always been friends, it was weird to explain to anyone who didn't have a similar person in their life, but the best way he could describe it was like Bokuto had an oddly calming effect on him.

Despite their friendship, Kuroo hadn't told Bokuto about presenting. For one, it didn't seem important to tell anyone other than Kenma, and there was more to him than his alignment. But there was also this paranoia about him that Bokuto would look at him a little differently once he knew.

So Kuroo had gone out of his way to avoid telling Bokuto, to avoid him during his heats, to make sure that if they did meet up around his cycle, he wore more deodorant than strictly necessary to try and cover his scent. Bokuto hadn't mentioned what he had presented as, leaving Kuroo completely in the dark too.

But with this match scheduled perilously close to his cycle, Kuroo had a sickening feeling that his luck was about to run out.

 

* * *

 

 

Akaashi watched as Bokuto leapt up to spike the incoming ball. The loud smack resonated off the walls of the gym as the ball was sent back towards Washio who failed to stop it.

"Hey hey hey! Another spike to the ace!" Bokuto cheered as he celebrated his victory.

"Nice one." Akaashi smiled as Washio sighed heavily at the gruelling practice session that never seemed to end.

"You think Nekoma are gonna stand a chance against us?" Bokuto asked as they took a water break.

Akaashi shrugged. "We are evenly matched as teams, I think it'll come down to the wire."

Bokuto grinned as he puffed out his chest. "Kuroo says his new first years are freaks of nature, but we got experience on them."

"You make us sound old when you say that..." Sarukui remarked.

"Old man Sarukui." Komi sniggered, getting a glare from Konoha.

"Can I remind you, that the only first year on this team is Onaga? And Akaashi is only a year younger than us." Konoha replied. "So you're included in the senior's club Komi."

"Wha? No! I'm not old!" The libero pouted.

Bokuto laughed loudly as Akaashi shook his head, Onaga put up his hands in surrender and apologised for being 'young'. Fukurodani was a laid back team during practice, they could afford to joke around and poke fun at one another. During a match though it was a very different story.

"So, anyone wanna place bets on how the score will look?" Komi asked as Akaashi took a few moments to stretch before going back to setting tosses.

"No." Akaashi replied bluntly. "I'd rather not."

"Akaaaaashi, you're no fun!" Bokuto pouted, a mixed reaction from the team caught between sighing and laughing.

"Bokuto, you and I know that a match with Nekoma is rarely predictable. Especially considering certain elements."

The somewhat cryptic remark was enough to indicate to the team that there was something _else_ that Akaashi was referring to. Something that they didn't need or necessarily want to know.

"Hmph." Bokuto snorted slightly. "I'll show Kuroo what it means to be one of the top aces in the country then!"

Akaashi smiled slightly, picking up a ball from the floor. "Yes. You do that."

Going back to setting tosses gave him time to think. Akaashi was slightly dreading the meeting with Nekoma in a few short weeks. There was a certain danger in letting the two captains get too friendly, especially that year when it was make or break for both of them. College scholarships were on the line with the round of volleyball tournaments, which meant they had to be ruthless with their opponents.

Which would prove to be a problem when Bokuto was actively crushing on their rival captain.

Akaashi wouldn’t go as far as to say Bokuto would let up in a match. When he got into the zone he wanted to win at any cost, he played like the top-tier ace he could be. But it was the aftermath that would be problematic. Especially if he hadn't confessed his feelings by that point.

There was also another, minor, problem with playing against Nekoma.

"When do you think Kuroo's cycle is?" Bokuto abruptly asked as they were walking home. Akaashi pinched the bridge of his nose, not quite wanting to imagine that scenario.

"I dunno, why do you care?"

"Well," Bokuto gestured to the air. "obviously me and him are evenly matched _almost_ , so I was curious if his cycle would improve his performance or cripple it."

"Right, that's the only reason."

"Akaaaashi, what are you implying?"

Akaashi didn't even try to hide his smile. "You're interested in him, everyone can see that, and he's an omega - pretty sure everyone in _Tokyo_ knows that - so it's pretty obvious why you wanna know when his cycle is."

"Pft." Bokuto waved Akaashi off. "I'm not like that and you know that!"

"Yeah I know, but you're an alpha so everyone is going to assume that you only have _those_ intentions in mind."

Bokuto's eyes widened as if he had a sudden moment of realisation.

"Shit. Yeah."

"Hm?" Akaashi wasn't sure what the cogs in Bokuto's head were doing but he had a feeling it was going to amount to something stupid.

"I need to confess to him outside of his heat."

"Uh..."

"Otherwise he'll think I'm just trying to fuck him."

"I mean--"

"GAH!" Bokuto’s hands flew to his head as his tugged on his hair. "Akaashi what am I gonna do?! He's gonna think I'm just taking advantage of his alignment but I'm not!"

"Bokuto you're--"

"Akaaaaashi I need to know when his cycle is so I can do it properly!"

Akaashi was two seconds away from grabbing Bokuto by the shoulders and shaking some sense into him. He did not sign up for this when he agreed to be the vice-captain of the team.

"Calm down Bokuto." Akaashi sighed. "I'm sure Kuroo isn't going to assume anything,"

Bokuto stopped babbling enough for him to listen to the sensible party in this conversation. "You...You think so?"

"Yes. He's not going to assume that you're only trying to get in his pants. You two are closer than that. Heck wasn't it you who told that guy in the store to back off when he was staring at Kuroo's ass?"

Bokuto nodded. "Yeah. That pervert."

"And that wasn't driven by your alignment, that was just you making sure your best friend didn't get hit on by a pervert."

Bokuto nodded again, bouncing back a little from his mini-midlife crisis. "Yeah!"

"So, what I'm saying is, Kuroo and you have a strong bond regardless of your alignments, so there is no reason to be paranoid about the assumptions. Just make it abundantly clear to him that this..." Akaashi gestured to the air. "crush...thing is more than a physical attraction. I mean...it _is_ more than that right?"

Bokuto's smile broke into an infectious grin. "Yes, I mean Kuroo is freakin' hot as hell but he's also smart, good at volleyball, funny, dorky, lets me eat the last cookie in the jar--" He listed off on his fingers.

Akaashi shook his head as he smiled, listening to Bokuto's ever-growing list of things that he liked about Kuroo as they continued walking home. He had been trying to work out if he should tell Bokuto to confess already or wait until the two captains had graduated. If they ended up at two different colleges then that would bum Bokuto out a lot, likewise the competitive nature of the tournaments could put a strain on any new relationship.

"Hey," Bokuto's cheerful tone dropped a little as they paused on the street corner before parting ways. "...do you, do you think I should tell him I like him?"

Akaashi let out a sigh. "Well Bokuto, I think it would be good to get it off your chest, but remember that he _is_ going to be an opponent at some point and your duty as the ace is to be ruthless in a match. Even if that means destroying your crush's team's hopes at winning."

Bokuto nodded, looking concerned for a moment before cracking a smile. "Well, what's a relationship without some healthy competition?"

Akaashi was a little doubtful that their kind of competition would count as _healthy_ , but he could see what Bokuto was getting at; if Kuroo shared the same strong feelings, then winning or losing in a match shouldn't effect that.

"Who knows, we may end up on team Tokyo together." Bokuto grinned. "Ooh imagine that! We'd probably end up with Oikawa and Iwaizumi too, maybe Ushijima--"

"Calm down," Akaashi laughed "one thing at a time. First you tell Kuroo you like him, _then_ you can plan out your future together."

They shared a laugh, Bokuto holding Akaashi's gaze for a few moments as the laughter died away.

"Hey, thanks Keiji." He smiled.

"No problem Koutarou." Akaashi smiled back. "Now go and gush over Kuroo at home, I have homework to do."

"Forever the slave driver..." Bokuto remarked, dodging the playful punch to his shoulder and setting off at a jog. "See you tomorrow!"

Akaashi shook his head and waved back. This entire situation was going to be the death of him as he reached for his phone and found Kenma's number. He needed someone on the other side of the fence to help get this sorted.

 

* * *

 

 

With a week to go until the match, Kenma's cycle arriving left Kuroo without his usual emotional crutch. It also put the team into a bit of a predicament in terms of practice. Lev and Inuoka still hadn't fully synced with Kenma's tosses so Yaku was being forced to play out of position for practising purposes, which in turn was leaving the libero in a bit of a foul mood.

"Where's Kenma?" Kai asked Kuroo as he showed up slightly late.

"Heat." Kuroo replied with a shrug. "He's been bed-bound all day."

"I thought he was on medication for it?" The vice-captain raised an eyebrow as he watched Lev nearly get sucker punched by Yaku.

"He is, but the doctors insist that after five suppressed cycles he has to let one 'occur naturally'. Which is why I think medication is a waste of time--not that I would need it."

Kai wasn't an idiot, neither were the rest of Nekoma. "Fair enough. He'll be back for next week's match though?"

"Yeah, he might even be back tomorrow."

"And you?"

Kuroo didn't reply at first.  "I uh, should be here. Dunno why I wouldn't be."

"Good to hear captain. Wouldn't want you missing a chance to go up against Bokuto, would we?" Kai smiled.

Any reply Kuroo had was cut off by Yaku loudly stating he was done with being the setter and storming out of the gym. Kuroo rolled his eyes and set off in pursuit of his grumpy team-mate, leaving Kai to sort out the rest of the team. Yaku was grumbling to himself outside as he let his irritation roll off of him, the name 'Lev' being mentioned more times than necessary.

"Alright, so what did our new cat do to deserve you trying to kill him?" Kuroo joked.

"He's so out of time it's not even funny. At least Inuoka is only a second or two behind, Lev is just something else." Yaku scoffed.

Kuroo chuckled. "That's Kenma's problem next week." He said "you just have to cover his back."

"Yeah and that's another thing--" Yaku pinched the bridge of his nose. "The kid has such a long reach that I have to cover almost double the damn distance!"

"Well at least I can deflect most of Bokuto's spikes." Kuroo shrugged.

Yaku cracked a smile. "Oh yeah?"

"What?"

"Bokuto's spikes are pretty intense, what's got you so confident all of a sudden?"

Kuroo wasn't sure what Yaku was implying. "I dunno, he's my bro, I like to think I know how my bro spikes."

"Just your bro?"

"What are you implying Yaku?" Kuroo wasn't sure he liked how Yaku was giving him a smug look.

"Nothing, nothing at all." Yaku shrugged. "We should probably get back to that crazy team of ours. After all, we have a pretty serious practice match next week."

The sudden personality change in his team-mate left Kuroo feeling a little apprehensive. He knew that he hadn't helped himself by hyping everyone up for the match, but he was starting to get the feeling his team weren't specifically referring to volleyball when they brought it up with him. There was a weird feeling in Kuroo's chest as Yaku walked in ahead of him. It was like the team knew _something_ and were making hints at him, but they couldn't possibly know he had a crush on his rival, could they?

 He rummaged around in his pocket for his phone and debated texting Kenma, though the setter _was_ in the midst of his heat so any advice would be either blunt or not helpful. He chewed on his lip as he returned to practice, getting lost in the drills and lecturing Lev on his blocking form to pay much attention to anything else. As practice wound up, Nekomata did his usual post practice brief, telling them what he had noticed about their forms, what to improve, what to bear in mind.

"Oh and Fukurodani will be here on Wednesday next week at 4pm sharp. Need I remind you that this is a practice match but the score will be recorded for training purposes." He finalised. "Also, just because it's a practice match, doesn't mean you should let up. They have one of the top aces on their team and a relatively well-rounded pack. They'll walk all over you if you let them."

"Yes sir." The murmured reply came.

"Dismissed."

Kuroo had to admit, all this pressure was starting to mount. He was confident his cycle wasn't due until the Friday, meaning he could get the practice match done without fear. Except there was another fear now clouding his thoughts; what if Bokuto could smell it on him?

He ended up taking the train home with Kai and Yaku, lost in his thoughts about pre-heat scents and whether Bokuto would smell it on him. He didn't even realise Yaku was giving him an expectant look at first.

"Wha?" He squawked as Yaku jabbed him in the side.

"I _said_ , what's gotten you so quiet? Did Nekomata's talk about next week put the shakes on you?"

"You're the one saying we'll be beating them soundly with our new first years." Kai added, somewhat unhelpfully.

"Pft." Yaku scoffed. "It'll take a miracle for Lev to sync with Kenma that quickly."

Kuroo shook his head. "Uh, no...no not that."

"Then what? You can tell us." Kai replied.

Kuroo felt caught in the headlight, his phone buzzing was a welcome distraction until he saw the sender.

**From: Brokuto**  
_HEY! So we're totally ready to kick your ass next week bro ;) Keiji's been talking to Kenma about how many sets we'll be doing and shiz, but you and me are gonna settle the score once and for all!_

Kuroo swallowed. Akaashi and Kenma have been exchanging texts. He glanced up at Kai and Yaku who were both giving him slightly confused looks.

"Uh, just...stuff."

Yaku clearly didn't buy it, but his stop was approaching so he dropped it and bid them both farewell. Kai waved at the libero as he got off the train, shifting closer to Kuroo to no doubt poke some more information out of him.

"Is it possible that you don't want to actually beat Fukurodani?" He gently asked.

Kuroo looked at him wide-eyed. "No! I mean, I do but..." He trailed off. He wanted to win but he didn't want to hurt Bokuto.

"Or is it more that you don't want to hurt your friend?"

Kuroo nodded slightly, looking back at his phone. "I just, Bo's my bro and...he works hard as the ace of his team. I really...I really admire it about him." He found himself smiling as Kai nodded. "I know he wants to win nationals as much as us, and he wants a scholarship to Tokyo like me."

"Well, winning nationals isn't the only way to do that." Kai said. "Plenty of players get picked up by scouts for more than winning, some are picked up for their potential, their sportsmanship, their grace in losing."

"Yeah...I guess but--"

"Bokuto will be offered a scholarship almost regardless of where they fall in the rankings, he's a top-tier ace." Kai continued. "If anything, us beating him would make it so he has to prove he's still a top-tier ace."

"How?"

"Top-tier aces don't let one defeat crush them. They pick themselves up and try again. They keep playing to do the best they can."

Kuroo raised an eyebrow. "Since when did you read up on all of this?"

Kai smiled. "Karasuno's ace, he hit that iron wall of Date Tech no? Well now he has to make the choice whether to get back up from that defeat and improve, to carry the hopes of his team forth, or let the next ace step up and replace him."

"If he lets someone replace him, he's basically said he's done being the ace?"

Kai nodded. "I can't imagine Bokuto doing that, can you?"

Kuroo felt the weight being lifted from his shoulders. "...no, no I can't." He smiled.

"And in a way, _you_ beating him will lessen the blow, because he knows you're his equal - whether the rankings show it or not - and he knows you won't be an ass about it."

There was a pause, the endless drone of the train filling the silence. Kuroo let out a heavy sigh, feeling more comfortable with the prospects of playing against Bokuto again.

"Thanks Kai." He smiled at his team-mate. "Dunno what I would've done without this talk."

Kai shrugged. "Think nothing of it, we all need to be focused on winning next week like the old man said, just call it one of my responsibilities as your vice-captain."

The train pulled into their stop, as they were disembarking from the train Kuroo figured he ought to reply to Bokuto's text. Kai waved in farewell as they parted ways outside the station, Kuroo's fingers were already flying on the keypad of his phone.

**To: Brokuto**  
_Dude, come at us, we're ready >:D Don't feel too bad for losing against us, we've got some new tricks up our sleeves just for you._

There was a sense of anticipation about him now. If Bokuto beat him, then it meant Nekoma had to improve and Kuroo would schedule as many practice matches as he needed to in order to get them there. If they beat Fukurodani then that meant they were helping Bokuto strengthen his team. In the end, they would grow together and the stronger team will prevail at the official tournaments.

Now he just had to keep it together and not lose his cool.

 

* * *

 

 

The train ride to the distract that Nekoma resided in was filled with Bokuto practically buzzing about the match. Akaashi and Konoha exchanged a glance as Komi only encouraged their ace to get more fired up, much to the other train passenger's _delight_.

"You'd think he'd preserve his energy a bit..." Konoha muttered as they got a glare from another businessman.

"It's Bokuto remember? And he's on his way to seeing his best friend and rival. Of course he's going to be buzzing." Akaashi replied.

"Best friend, and possibly more."

Akaashi shrugged. Kenma hadn't been particularly helpful in the realm of matchmaking, he did inform Akaashi that Kuroo's cycle was close however, which troubled him a little bit.

"I doubt anything will come of it today." He stated as the train pulled into the station. Konoha shrugged and they followed the team out into the station.

Bokuto was in high spirits, he was grinning as they got closer to Nekoma. The anticipation of the match was building, but it wasn't quite eclipsing the anticipation of seeing Kuroo. It had been a few weeks since they last saw each other after all.

"Hey hey hey!" He called as the doors were opened, Kuroo grinned at him and they greeted each other with a handshake. "Long time no see man!"

Kuroo chuckled. "Yeah, hope you’re ready for an ass-whooping."

Bokuto snorted. "Yeah _right_ , I hope your first years are as good as you've hyped them up to be."

Kenma and Akaashi exchanged a glance, almost as if they both knew what was going to happen by the end of the match. Nekomata let out a loud laugh at the trash-talking before spurring both teams to get ready for the match, effectively ending any outrageous bets being placed.

Nekoma were already changed into their practice gear, so they were tasked with setting up the net and warming up. Lev was being vocal about his opinion on the visiting team as he watched Yamamoto and Kai do all the heavy lifting.

"They don't look that dangerous." Lev shrugged.

"And that's what I mean by you not looking properly." Yaku sighed. "Just cause they _look_ ordinary, doesn't mean they are."

"Akaashi's a hella dangerous setter." Yamamoto remarked. "Pitting him against Kenma is always a recipe for a good match."

Kenma shrugged indifferently at being compared to the other. They both had different priorities and ways of running their teams, that was good enough for him.

"And don't even get me started on Bokuto." Yaku continued. "The guy's got guns and ain't afraid to use them."

"Alright." Kuroo called the evaluation of their opponent to a close and beckoned the team together. "So, obviously these guys are placed high in the rankings _for a reason_ , and as old man Nekomata said; they'll walk all over us if we let them."

"But we ain't gonna let them." Yamamoto declared.

"Precisely. We're going to make them work for this. If we get the lead on them, don't relax, keep hitting spikes, keep the ball in play, stay focused." Kuroo glanced to Yaku. "And you keep our backs covered, Bokuto's spikes will blow through our block some of the time and I want you to make sure it doesn't go out."

"Got it." Yaku nodded.

"And you two," Kuroo gestured to Lev and Inuoka "don't feel bad if it takes a few tosses in to get acquainted with the rhythm. Akaashi is a dangerous setter and will make you think they're only tossing to Bokuto - truth is the entire team can spike _hard_. Don't let him suck you into always assuming Bokuto will finish it all."

The two first years nodded.

"And it goes without saying; expect the unexpected."

Fukurodani had long finished changing and were in the process of having their own team talk as Nekoma finished theirs. Kuroo cracked his neck as they were left waiting for their guests to finish psyching themselves up. He felt _good_. Kai's talk had helped ease any worries he had about the aftermath of this match or any other, his body had shown no sign of slipping into an early cycle, the team had improved on their timing a good deal over the last week.

Bokuto met Kuroo's gaze across the net as he puffed out his chest. The determined but playful glint in his eyes meant that this would be a game that they'd both be pushing themselves to the limit to win.

The whistle blew and it was Fukurodani’s serve, Konoha was quick to start the set off with a direct hit to Yaku. From then it was like clockwork as the ball was cycled around the team and sent back. It was a game of fast tosses and hard hits on both sides, neither team wanted to give up the first point. However, it was only a matter of time before the ace stepped up and proved what a pedigree he was.

"Hey hey hey!" The victorious cheer went up as Yaku let out a sigh of disappointment.

"Don't mind Yaku." Kuroo called over to the libero. "We'll get the next won't we Yama?"

"Hell yeah!" Yamamoto replied.

"Well we need to serve the ball first..." Kenma uttered as Lev stepped up to the back line. "Watch your head."

Bokuto raised an eyebrow as he watched the first year. Akaashi had said Lev was unpredictable to a degree; he was gifted with height and reach, but according to Kenma he was rough around the edges still.

"Bring it on!" Bokuto called over, he was on the back line and was ready to receive whatever the half-Russian threw at him - literally.

"He'll regret saying that." Kenma murmured through the net to Akaashi.

Lev bounced the ball, feeling Yaku's gaze on him and the weight of responsibility on his shoulders. He let out a small sigh and went through the serving motions. What Fukurodani didn't bet on was the power behind Lev's long arms, Bokuto let out a pained noise as the ball hit his arms and was sent up into the air.

"Get it Akaashi!"

Akaashi narrowed his eyes, clocking where his spikers were but ultimately knew that Bokuto would sprint forward regardless. The blocking line moved to where they thought it was going to be spiked, but Akaashi was one step ahead of them.

The shrill blast of the whistle signalled another point to the visitors.

"A dump?!" Yamamoto cried in disbelief. "What the hell--"

"Keep your head Yama." Kuroo assured him, glancing over to where Akaashi was being praised by Bokuto but also moaned at for not passing to him. "It's only the first set of three."

He had to admit, he hadn't anticipated Akaashi pulling that move this early. He had actually forgotten about it in honesty, being so caught up in Bokuto's spikes. It didn't bother him, it simply meant that they'd have to pull their own tricks out.

 

* * *

 

 

Even with an impressive comeback, the first set went to Fukurodani. Bokuto was in high spirits as the lead they established at the start had carried them through. He did almost feel bad though.

"You pulled the dump out a little early didn't you?" Komi asked Akaashi as a water break gave them a breather.

"I wanted them to remember that our team is more than Bokuto." Akaashi shrugged. "More importantly, I wanted Kuroo to remember."

"Huh?" Bokuto cocked his head to the side.

"He _has_ been marking you closely." Konoha murmured, following Akaashi's train of thought. "Maybe he wants to go up against you as a captain."

Bokuto shrugged. "Kuroo is Kuroo. Probably doesn't want his first years having their hands broken."

Akaashi snorted. "Sure, yeah."

This entire situation of neither captain realising the other had a crush on them was getting tiring for the setters. Kenma and Akaashi had debated how to get them to confess in the least dramatic way; in a way that wouldn't throw either team's chances at nationals into disarray, in a way that wouldn't expose Kuroo's cycle or Bokuto's alignment.

They agreed that the _only_ way to do it was to let Bokuto sleepwalk into it, because Kuroo was a bag of nerves who had far too many fears for someone who seemed to radiate confidence.

"So are you gonna take him up on that challenge?" Komi asked Bokuto. "He's basically screaming _you can't get past me_."

Bokuto smirked, eyeing up the other captain. "He is, isn't he..."

Akaashi wanted to both throttle Komi and encourage him.

"Go for it." Konoha egged the ace on.

There was a heavy sigh from Akaashi as he stood up. "Well, I guess it's 'gang up on Kuroo' time."

Bokuto snorted. "No, _I'll_ take care of him, the rest of you watch out for Yamamoto and Lev."

Fukurodani shared a glance as Bokuto strode back out onto the court. Operation 'Get Bokuto to confess' was officially beginning.

The second set began with Nekoma serving, more specifically, Yamamoto serving. Kuroo and Bokuto shared a glance from opposite sides of the net as Komi sent the ball back into the air and called for a chance ball. Both captains jumped up but a certain half-Russian got involved and batted the ball away.

"Dammit Lev." Akaashi cursed as he reacted quickly to save the ball, his usual precision thrown off by the unexpected interference and ultimately failing to prevent the first points of the set going to Nekoma.

Maybe Kuroo was right about his first years being something else.

The second set was where Nekoma's first years started getting more comfortable, Lev proved to be dangerous when it came to blocking.

Volleyball blocking _and_ cock-blocking.

Kuroo could tell Fukurodani were getting frustrated by Lev's ability to block almost anything in his reach. Inuoka was filling the void that Lev left and Kuroo barely had to do anything most of the time.

Bokuto snorted as Lev cycled to the back of the court, at least if he was back there he wouldn't necessarily be able to block in time. Akaashi was now sending tosses to Konoha and Sarukui more than Bokuto out of necessity than choice, he didn't want to get Nekoma too used to expecting a dump, likewise Bokuto was getting frustrated and that was not going to end well in the slightest.

The second set however, fell into Nekoma’s lap as Komi slipped up and gave away a vital point, leading to a quick follow up from the home team.

"Don’t worry about it." Bokuto reassured him, surprising everyone who thought he'd be in 'emo mode' by now. "It's a practice match, nothing but pride is at stake for us."

"So glad you're feeling confident." Washio shrugged. "Thought you were gonna shut down Kuroo?"

"Kuroo's not been doing anything to shut down, Lev's been taking care of all the blocks." Bokuto objected. "Give me a spiking opportunity and I'll blow it past him!"

Akaashi raised an eyebrow. "Consider it done."

"What, really?"

"Yes. But you need to wait for _me_ to deem it the right moment. It'll be useless if Lev is there."

"Throw a fake up." Komi suggested. "Send Konoha up in the middle and have Bokuto come from behind."

"Yes!" Bokuto seemed to have a sudden rush of giddiness. "Please Akaaaaashi."

The setter couldn't exactly say _no_ , especially to that smile. "As I said, the right moment."

The referee indicated the third and final set needed to get underway. Akaashi used the few moments of peace to made a gesture at Kenma who nodded in understanding. Bokuto sent the ball directly at Inouka, not out of spite just habit of aiming for the back corner before returning to his position. The team knew Akaashi's gestures and signals, they just had to wait it out.

Tosses and spikes went by as the visiting team waited for the setter to deem the moment crisp. Lev had been dashing about everywhere and exhausting himself, Akaashi knew there was no way the first year had the stamina for a full match yet. He kept turning the cogs of the team, they let some points slip through but returned them tenfold.

Like he predicted, it was coming down to the wire.

Bokuto was getting restless, flashing glances to Akaashi every few seconds. His skin was crawling as he tried to control his breathing and preserve his energy for the spike that would prove he was a top-tier ace for a reason.

Nekomata called for substitutions. Lev was subbed off for Kai. And that was the moment Akaashi was waiting for.

He let another business as usual spike go through before casting a glance to Konoha, the textbook signal that the ball was 'definitely going to this spiker and not to our ace over there'. He knew Kenma would read it but he also knew Kenma wasn't going to stop this from happening. Bokuto read the play well enough, as did Kuroo.

The ball connected with Bokuto's palm with a loud smack.

It then connected with Kuroo's and then the floor in quick succession.

The floor on Fukurodani’s side of the net.

There was a smug smirk on Kuroo's face as Bokuto blinked at him in almost disbelief. But this _was_ Kuroo he was up against; the master of blocks and provocation. Bokuto didn't think before the words tumbled from his mouth.

" _Fuck_ I love you Tetsurou."

Kuroo either didn't hear or chose not to react as the whistle blasted next to them, Bokuto couldn't be sure. But what he _was_ sure about was the fact he just confessed to Kuroo.

Akaashi could tell by the sudden paleness in Bokuto's cheeks that he had done it. However Kuroo seemed far too calm considering how Kenma painted him as a bag of nerves.

"Well?" He hissed through the net.

"I don't know." Kenma replied, confused himself by how at ease Kuroo seemed to be. A water break was called so he set off to find out what was happening.

It wasn't a massive surprise to Kenma that Kuroo's calm appearance was all an act.

"Ohmygod." Kuroo whispered as Yaku pinched the bridge of his nose. "He said--he didn't use the word bro or 'dude', like he said that he--"

"Calm the...ugh." Yaku sighed.

Kenma wasn't sure what to say, he knew this had been somewhat planned but he had failed to _really_ consider how Kuroo would react.

"Talk to him after the match." Kai suggested.

"He's got to _finish_ the match first." Yamamoto uttered.

Lev, seemingly oblivious as always, cocks his head to the side. "Does Kuroo-senpai have a crush on Bokuto?"

Yaku resisted the urge to roundhouse kick his kouhai. Kenma sighed heavily and shook his head in disdain as Yamamoto had to be held back by Inouka.

"What gave it away?" Kai chuckled, trying to make light of this incredibly stupid situation that could only ever happen at Nekoma. How their coach wasn't questioning what the heck was going on was beyond him.

Kuroo had his head in his hands as Kenma patted his head in a comforting manner. "Kuro, I don't mean to be a bother, but you kinda have a match to finish playing in."

"Go on without me Kenma!" Kuroo over-dramatically stated.

"Oh for god's sake, shut the hell up and get a grip." Yaku chided, slapping the back of Kuroo's head. "Face him like the dumbass captain you are."

As violent as Yaku's words were, Kuroo had to agree. He was a dumbass captain who had to face up to the reality that the captain on the other side of the net had basically confessed to him.

He stood up from the bench, his palms were sweaty, knees weak, and his arms were heavy. He was nervous but on the surface he tried to look calm as he stepped back onto the court. His thoughts were running far too fast; was it a slip of the tongue? Did Bokuto intend to blurt out his feelings? Was it all just a misunderstanding? How was he even going to _talk_ to Bokuto about this afterwards? He was going to have to tell Bokuto he was an omega and deal with _that_ aftermath.

Kuroo snapped back to reality in time to nearly receive a ball with his face.

Not that Bokuto was exactly totally with it either.

"Does this classify as Bokuto's emo mode?" Konoha asked Akaashi as Bokuto seemed to be staring into space and murmuring to himself. To have both captains in such a state was almost a sorry sight, but it had to happen sooner or later he guessed.

"Uh..." Akaashi wasn't sure. "Yes?"

"Get your head in back in the game Bokuto!" Komi shouted.

"This is the last set, pull it together." Washio added.

Akaashi glanced at the score, they were up one point and could steal it with another spike. He nodded to Konoha as Yamamoto stepped up to serve. Even if this game wasn't an official match, Fukurodani weren't going to roll over now. If anything they were going to remind Nekoma that their team isn't just Bokuto.

"It's now or never." He breathed as the ball sailed over the net and made for Komi. With well-practised motions, Komi sent the ball to Akaashi who squared up for the pass to shut the game down quickly.

"Akaashi!" Bokuto's voice ripped through his concentration.

Konoha went up for the spike regardless, throwing Nekoma into a predicament; follow the spiker or follow the ace. Inouka and Kai went for Konoha, leaving Kuroo to block Bokuto.

Akaashi wasn't leaving it up to chance though. He wasn't referred to as a dangerous setter for no reason.

The dump echoed off the gym walls as the ball hit the ground.

"Wait...did he just--" Yaku's thought process was cut off by the referee's whistle. Fukurodani claimed the win, albeit under slightly strange circumstances that had yet to be resolved.

Kuroo averted his gaze from Bokuto at first, not sure what to do in the moment. Bokuto cleared his throat as the teams lined up and shook hands.

"I...uh guess we should talk?" He murmured through the net.

Kuroo's eyes widened a little. "Uhm, yeah, yeah we should."

Waiting for Bokuto to finish changing and dismissing his team was agonising for Kuroo. He felt tense. He had no idea how Bokuto was going to react to anything he was about to tell him. All of Kai's comforting words hadn't prepared him for a confession that day, nor for him to come clean about his alignment.

As Bokuto exited the gym and spotted Kuroo, both captains froze. Bokuto was first to move, strolling over to Kuroo with a small smile on his face like he was somewhat pleased with himself.

"Good game." He stated, trying to lighten the mood. "I uh, forgot you...you could block like that."

Kuroo's skin was crawling, he felt physically sick. "I uh, need to tell you something." He murmured, thankful no-one else was around. "Uh, it might make you second guess what...you said."

Bokuto blinked, confused but willing to listen. "What?"

There was a pause, Kuroo chewed on his lip. He knew this was stupid, that Bokuto was his friend and regardless of alignment wouldn't drop him. But he couldn't stand the idea of Bokuto looking at him in a different light, _especially_ after confessing like that.

"I..." He trailed off, swallowing and wiping his sweaty hands on his jacket. "I'm an omega."

The rival captain blinked again, still confused for a moment before a puzzle piece clicked into place. "Wait, you thought no-one knew?"

Kuroo's blood froze. "What...are you talking about?"

Bokuto couldn't help it, Kuroo's dumbstruck expression was too funny. "Oh god..." He tried to stifle the snigger. "Bro...Tetsu...uh, I've known for a while you're an omega, and so have quite a few other people."

"Wait...you knew?"

"I've known since winter break at least." Bokuto smiled. "No-one told me either, I just...uh knew."

"Knew _how_?" Kuroo had almost forgotten about the confession by now and was more mortified that everyone knew he was an omega.

It was Bokuto's turn to look slightly mortified. "Uhm, well you see...when you crashed at my house that one night, you kinda...left your scent everywhere."

"Oh my fucking god." Kuroo slapped both hands against his face. "I can't believe this."

"Hey! Hey it's fine--"

Kuroo shook his head, he could feel his face reddening as the situation dawned on him that Bokuto had _known_ all this time. Hands closing around his wrists brought him back to his senses. He allowed Bokuto to gently pull his hands away from his face, blinking away the tears of frustration that threatened to fall.

"Hey, Tetsurou, it's fine." Bokuto repeated, more sure of himself. "You know why?"

"No..."

"Because do you remember what else happened that night?" Bokuto's hands moved to hold Kuroo's firmly, rubbing his thumbs over the other's knuckles. "We watched a load of cringey movies and fell asleep on my couch."

"So?" Kuroo looked lost as he tried to read Bokuto's sincere expression.

"I woke up and you were snuggled up to me, burying your face in my chest completely at ease...it was...cute."

The fierce blush on Kuroo's cheeks wasn't dissipating. He felt Bokuto squeeze his hands, the calming influence that was almost laughably contradictory to Bokuto's usual persona was putting him at ease. He smiled slightly.

"...was it really?" The sarcasm in Kuroo's voice was light, making Bokuto snort.

"Heck yeah, you dorky bastard."

"So, you mean to say that me being a...y'know, has nothing to do with this?" Kuroo gestured to their hands.

Bokuto nodded, there was a glint in his eye which made Kuroo slightly suspicious of what he was thinking.

"It has nothing to do with this either." Bokuto murmured, closing the gap between them abruptly and pressing his lips to Kuroo's.

All the tension in Kuroo's body lifted as he relaxed, moulding his lips to Bokuto's without even a hint of pulling away. Several months of worrying about how Bokuto would react amounted to nothing, well nothing _bad_ at least. Bokuto let go of Kuroo's hands and cupped his face, drawing him closer and deepening the kiss until he felt his point had been made.

"Do you have any idea how long I've wanted to do that?" Bokuto whispered.

"Probably about the same time as I've had it bad for you."

They regarded each other with flustered smiles before breaking into laughter. Kuroo rested his head on Bokuto's shoulder, wrapping his arms around the bulky shoulders and pulling him into a hug. He inhaled the comforting scent of his best friend, the musky smell of sweat and whatever body wash Bokuto had used in his post-game shower.

Bokuto smelt like home to him.

Which was when it dawned on Kuroo.

"Wait." He murmured, voice muffled against Bokuto's shirt. "...you've never told me what you are."

Bokuto pulled back and gave him a slightly puzzled look. "Huh? I haven't? Oh, well I'm an alpha."

Everything clicked into place in Kuroo's mind; why Bokuto's presence seemed to calm him, why he smelt so familiar, why he practically spooned the other whenever they happened to share a sleeping space. Heck, even being naturally drawn to Bokuto seemed to make more sense now.

"Oh." Kuroo actually felt _bad_ for not realising. "Uh, okay."

"Why do you ask?" Bokuto's hands were dwelling at Kuroo's waist; strong, dependable hands that were rough and toned from volleyball but perfectly capable of tender touches.

"Uhm, well--" Kuroo wasn't sure what was possessing him to bare all in that moment, he would probably put it down to a mixture of things; relief that Bokuto hadn't been the one to bring it up, the reassuring smile from his best friend, the new found relief and confidence about him. "my heat is due on Friday."

Bokuto blinked at him, the much-more-familiar oblivious nature of Bokuto returning as he raised an eyebrow. "Are you...suggesting something?"

Kuroo swallowed. He had gone through all his heats alone so far in his time since presenting. He was curious, to say the least, about what it would be like to actually _have_ and alpha with him. The last three years of standard biology lessons had been littered with the scientific side of heats and ruts, his advanced classes had gone a little more into the psychology and how 'feelings' influence the act of mating.

But he was still curious. He was curious and he trusted Bokuto.

"Uh, maybe, if you're...down for it?" He hated how he sounded unsure. He was meant to be the all-confident captain of his team, not a lovesick, horny teenager. Yet he didn't feel mortified about it, rather he knew Bokuto wouldn't think any less of him for it.

Bokuto wiggled his eyebrows, making Kuroo snigger partially in embarrassment and partially in amusement.

"You want me to be with you through your heat, yeah?"

"Yeah." Kuroo forced himself to keep eye contact with Bokuto, no matter how embarrassed he felt. "But uhm, I've never been with anyone so--"

Bokuto put up a hand to cut him off. "I've got experience, don't you worry." He smiled. "And for the record, no they weren't serious, just one-offs."

For some reason the last remark of clarification made Kuroo smile. It implied Bokuto wanted him to be sure that this wasn't just 'another one-off' but something more serious. Something more genuine, more long-term.

"Also, let me _at least_ buy you dinner first bro. Even if it's an apology for whooping your team's ass."

"You bastard." Kuroo laughed, shaking his head. "But hey, I won't turn down free food."

"Exactly." Bokuto grinned, leaning forward and pressing a kiss to Kuroo's cheek. "So, where's the nearest decent place to eat?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so now we actually get to the smut ;)

 

It was an understatement to say that Kuroo was nervous. It wasn't because that he was with Bokuto, rather, it was because this was a new experience. In his time at Nekoma he had experienced a lot, but volleyball had been his life for several years and he had always been a natural leader.

This however, was something he had very little experience in.

Out of habit, he had gone to class anyway on the Friday his heat began. His body had learned by this point to not turn him into a nervous wreck during school hours. Except this time he knew that when he got home, he would have a certain alpha waiting for him, which in hindsight was probably what made him slightly more jumpy in practice that afternoon.

Nekoma as a team, were very aware that their captain was about to have the night of his life. Kenma was thankfully spared the details on the account that Kuroo hadn't actually been told anything about that night; Bokuto had simply stated he'd be there when Kuroo returned home and that was that.

"So, does this mean that once Kuroo gets banged, he'll be less neurotic?" Yamamoto asked Yaku. "Least that's what you were like--"

Yaku didn't hesitate to deal a swift kick to Yamamoto's stomach. "Shut it." He grumbled. "And it might help soothe him, sure, I don't really care as long as he comes back in one piece."

"And if he doesn't?" Yamamoto asked, slightly doubled over from the kick.

"Then I'm gonna be having a lovely conversation with Bokuto about breaking our captain."

"Cause that'll end so well..." Kenma remarked.

Kuroo had managed to distract himself by giving Inouka and Lev some direct tutoring on blocking. Being with two first years who had no signs of presenting had at least removed _that_ distraction from the equation. However he could feel the tightness in his body slowly rearing its head.

He had asked Bokuto about what the entire process would be like, not from a scientific viewpoint - he knew all that already after-all - but from a relationship stance. Bokuto had said that he was in no hurry to rush things, that dealing with Kuroo's heat wouldn't prompt their relationship to rocket forward, it didn't mean Kuroo had to have sex with him again until he was ready.

Kuroo's main take away from it was that Bokuto was very content to just leave things how they were but with more cuddling and kissing.

Which didn't sound like a bad idea at all in all honesty, with college on the horizon, keeping things slow and light-hearted seemed like a sensible thing. Surprising, coming from the likes of them.

"Alright, we'll call it there." Nekomata declared, ending practice with a shorter-than-normal debrief and telling them all to rest up over the weekend.

There were several side glances to Kuroo, who was almost definitely not getting rest over his weekend.

The train ride home was agonising. Kuroo's well-rehearsed deep breathing exercises were helping quell the feelings of neediness, Kenma's calm and indifferent presence was also helping to a degree. The train car was mostly empty which was a small blessing, but it also meant Kuroo's mind was accelerating to what on earth he was letting himself in for at home.

"You'll be fine." Kenma stated.

"I know that." Kuroo replied, trying to keep his façade of calm and composed captain.

"Then why are you trembling?"

Kuroo sighed. "Okay maybe I'm a little...scared."

"Why?"

"...well I’ve never been with anyone like this, I've always dealt with heats alone."

"Bokuto isn't going to expect you to be a god in the bedroom Kuro. He's also not going to make you do anything you don't want to do."

"Yeah..."

"Just be honest with him, and don't pretend to be calm and composed if you're not." Kenma smiled at him. "At the end of the day, he wants to make it good for you, so let him take the lead."

Kuroo nodded, he vaguely wondered how Kenma seemed so wise around this topic but shelved that thought as they pulled into their station. Usually, Kuroo made sure Kenma got home without walking into lampposts, but that day the setter insisted he was fine and that Kuroo should 'just get home quickly'.

Fumbling with his house keys, Kuroo couldn't recall the last time he felt this nervous. Upon entering his home, the comforting smell of Bokuto hit him like a wave. Bokuto himself was merely leaning against the door frame of the lounge but it was enough to make Kuroo's legs tremble.

"You okay?" Bokuto asked, a slight smirk on his face as Kuroo slipped off his shoes.

"Yeah, yeah..." Kuroo breathed. "Just...y'know."

Bokuto nodded, pacing over and slipping his hands into Kuroo's. "Do you wanna take a shower first or just get to it?"

A shower would've probably helped, but Kuroo was too caught up on the scent of Bokuto so close to him. The calling in his veins for the alpha to stay with him overpowered any sensible thought about hygiene.

"Nu-No." He stammered, burying his face in the crook of Bokuto's neck. "Bo...Bo"

"Given names are permitted y'know Tetsu." Bokuto remarked as he let Kuroo nuzzle his neck.

"Koutarou..." Kuroo sighed, the name rolling off his tongue like it was only his to say.

"Mhm." Bokuto wrapped his arms around Kuroo, savouring the peaceful moment, the feeling of holding his boyfriend as he let his vulnerabilities show a little more. They remained stood in Kuroo's hallway for a few moments, neither of them seeking to end the embrace or break the silence for a while.

Strong hands rubbed Kuroo's back in slow soothing circles, easing the tension in his muscles from practice and nervousness. Kuroo's hands clenched in Bokuto's shirt, feeling the toned chest underneath the thin fabric and the heat radiating from the alpha.

"You wanna go upstairs and get more comfortable?" Bokuto whispered, Kuroo nodded against his neck and pulled away.

His legs were trembling as Bokuto took his hand and allowed him to take the lead upstairs. A mixture of excitement and restlessness pooled in him as he kicked his bedroom door open. The duo had spent time at each other's houses before, Bokuto had slept on the floor of his room multiple times, however this time would be much different.

"Kou," Kuroo breathed as he sat on his bed and looked up through his fringe at Bokuto. "I uh, I haven't planned for any of this..."

Bokuto chuckled lightly. "Good job I have." He nodded to the duffel bag that was sat next to the door. The Fukurodani colours looked almost foreign in the Nekoma dominated room, yet nicely contrasted. "Don't worry, it's just my clothes in there really, nothing too _wild_."

Kuroo snorted, thankful that Bokuto's humorous side was sticking around. "Okay...okay."

"I got you Tetsurou, trust me I don't want this to be awkward or painful or anything like that." Bokuto's hand cupped Kuroo's face and stroked the rise of his cheekbone. "You call the shots and I'll deliver."

Kuroo swallowed, he knew his heat was quickly approaching. Every touch he received from Bokuto's left his skin feeling warm, his chest was tightening as all he could smell was _Bokuto_. He liked to think he wasn't a total mess when it came to heats, sure he got needy but he wasn't completely out of it.

Then again he had never had an alpha interfere with it.

He tugged Bokuto to sit on the bed with him, wanting to seize some control before things got beyond what he knew, pulling Bokuto into a more frenzied kiss than their first had been. The urgency in his motions spurred Bokuto to push him to lie back, caging him against the bed with powerful arms. Small gasps and moans escaped as lips parted and allowed the kiss to deepen. Kuroo's fingers ran through Bokuto's hair as he sought to ground himself a little, getting a growl from the other before he abruptly pulled back and looked down at Kuroo with an almost smug grin.

"What..." Kuroo panted, only just realising how out of breath he was.

"Damn Tetsurou, you're an animal." Bokuto remarked.

"Sh-Shut up" Kuroo nervously laughed, he wanted Bokuto's lips on his again, he wanted to feel the air leave his lungs as he lay there in the presence of the one who meant so much to him.

"It's not a bad thing at all." Bokuto leaned closer once more, breath tickling Kuroo's neck as he nuzzled it. "I like it."

Feeling Bokuto's lips against his tender area elicited a high pitched whimper from Kuroo. He felt the slickness now between his legs as Bokuto took his time to leave sloppy kisses along his collarbone. He started feeling too hot to be wearing clothes.

"It is here?" Bokuto whispered in Kuroo's ear, sending a shiver down his spine. "I can smell it."

"Nngh Kou...please." Kuroo exhaled.

"You smell so nice Tetsu, you made my house smell like you for several days and it drove me insane." He continued as he allowed a hand to trail down Kuroo's clothed chest. "I know I said you being an omega had nothing to do with my affection, but _fucking hell_ you're so hot."

Kuroo wriggled underneath the fiery touch of the other. "Please...please."

"Hm? What do you want?" Bokuto asked, pulling his hand away and looking down at Kuroo; flushed cheeks and bitten lips put several sinful thoughts in his mind but he was mindful of Kuroo's lack of experience.

"You...Kou." Kuroo replied, blinking slowly as he trembled a little.

There was a nod of understanding from Bokuto, he leaned back and took off his shirt, tossing it to the floor before letting his hands linger at the hem of Kuroo's shirt.

"oh my fuck..." Kuroo breathed, drinking in the sight of Bokuto's toned chest. He had seen it before once or twice but this was a much more intimate setting. Bokuto hummed in amusement as he slowly eased Kuroo out of his shirt.

"Right back at ya." He remarked, tracing his fingers over the dips and bumps of Kuroo's chest. Fingertips ran over Kuroo's nipples, surprising Kuroo at how _sensitive_ he was already when he let out a yelp. Bokuto hummed again as he rolled the peaks between his fingertips and watched Kuroo arch his back. "You like?"

"Mmph, _yes_." Kuroo nodded, running his hands through his hair as he tried to put a lid on his reactions. There was a raised eyebrow from Bokuto at the sudden quietness. He licked his lips and leaned forward, running his tongue over the raised peak. "F-Fuck Kou!"

"You _are_ sensitive right now, aren't you?" Bokuto smirked against Kuroo's chest. "I can tell you're gonna be cumming a lot at this rate."

The fact that Bokuto was stating it so matter-of-factly made Kuroo's cheeks burn, he laughed weakly as the teasing relented for the time begin and Bokuto returned to nuzzling his neck. A hand ran up his inner thigh and cupped the bulge in his slacks, he whimpered as the slickness was starting to get too much to be comfortable.

"Kou--Kou I..." Kuroo's voice trailed off. His train of thought was getting lost in the overwhelming smell of Bokuto, his body was craving the other's touch more intimately but he didn't _want_ to rush. He wanted to enjoy the softer moments as Bokuto kissed his cheeks and made him feel safe.

"Shhh...I know." Bokuto replied. "Let it happen Tetsurou, I'm here, you're safe."

"I'm scared." Kuroo blurted out, blush creeping down his neck as the words hung in the air.

"There's no need to be." Bokuto reassured him, placing a delicate kiss on his lips. "I'll make sure it's good for you. And if you wanna stop just say and I'll stop."

Kuroo chewed on his lip, looking up at Bokuto's calm smile. He nodded slowly. "Okay, yeah...okay."

"Hey, remember this changes nothing, I love you. Even if it's too much and you want me to stop."

"Yeah." Kuroo nodded again, reaching out and cupping Bokuto's face, drawing him closer. "I love you too."

Bokuto recaptured Kuroo's lips, letting the slow motions lead to wandering hands. The fly on Kuroo's slacks was undone, and Bokuto's hand slowly eased into Kuroo's pants. A whimper escaped as Kuroo broke away from the kiss, rocking his hips up to meet Bokuto's hand.

"Hmm?" Bokuto hummed, kissing Kuroo's neck instead. "Do you want me to start prepping you?"

"Please, please I just...I'm so hot Kou" Kuroo babbled, the nerves melting away as the heat flared up. "Please I need you."

Bokuto nodded, pulling his hand away and shifting off the bed. "Gimme a moment."

Kuroo lay there panting as Bokuto rummaged around in his bag. The wait got too much for him, he wriggled out of his slacks, leaving him only clad in his boxers. The cooler air on his heated skin was a blessing, but only a temporary bliss as the slickness continued to be uncomfortable.

"Roll over." Bokuto gently ordered. "It'll be better this way."

Kuroo complied, flipping himself onto his stomach and feeling the gentle caress of Bokuto’s hand on his back. He shivered at the tender touch, even more so when Bokuto’s hot lips pressed against his shoulder.

"Prop yourself up on your knees and elbows." Bokuto told him, the sound of a bottle being uncapped sounding loud in the quiet room.

For a moment neither of them said anything, Bokuto ran his hands up and down Kuroo's back in soothing motions. He squeezed Kuroo's ass through his boxers, feeling the slickness through the thin material and deemed it almost time.

"Okay," he exhaled "you good Tetsurou?"

"Mhm." Kuroo replied, he was shaking a little with the anticipation but Bokuto's calming influence had helped ease the nerves that still sparked inside of him.

Hooking his fingers under the waistband of Kuroo's boxers, Bokuto didn't waste time in tugging them down. The scent he had been addicted to since Kuroo stayed at his place was stronger than ever. Bokuto let out a small growl of approval, a growl that made Kuroo blush heavily and sway his hips on instinct alone. Finding the lube bottle and squirting a small amount along his finger, Bokuto rubbed his fingertip around the slicked entrance.

"Nng..." Kuroo whimpered at the foreign sensation of another male's fingers at his tender area. He had half expected Bokuto to plunge straight in, but the alpha was being more controlled in his actions. Slow, gentle motions toyed with his senses and had him whimpering for more.

"Shhh...you'll get it" Bokuto replied to Kuroo's high pitched whimpers. "you'll get my knot don't worry."

A pleased noise left Kuroo's throat as he surrendered to the animalistic side of the heat, unable to form sentences any longer. Bokuto chewed on his lip as he slowly eased a single digit into the omega. It was hot and tight, but Kuroo didn't cry out in pain so he gently began to move it in and out, burying his finger to the knuckle each time.

Bokuto's rut wasn't due for at least another month, but that didn't mean he wasn't already fighting the urge to take Kuroo quickly. He was depending on all the self-control he had to stay true to his promise to Kuroo to make it good for him. He watched his finger moving in and out of Kuroo, biting hard on his lip as more noises tumbled from Kuroo's lips and he swayed his hips.

"I'm adding a second finger Tetsu, don't panic." He gently stated, drinking in the sight of Kuroo's toned shoulders flexing. "Let me know if it's too much."

Kuroo's eyes opened as the second slicked up digit sunk into him. It was a stretch but it felt _good_. It was the first time he was thankful for his alignment's effect on his body.

" _A-ah_ yes..." He sighed as Bokuto flexed both fingers inside him, brushing his sensitive walls and sending sparks through him. "please--Kou please!"

Bokuto cleared his throat as he ignored his desires for the moment. He kept his movements slow and teasing, letting Kuroo's body get used to the sensation. His free hand wrapped around Kuroo's waist and took hold of his cock, stroking slowly in time with his fingers, the sheer amount of precum negating the need for lube.

It didn't take long for Kuroo to become a trembling mess.

"Please Kou I-I'm...I'm gonna--" He gasped, hips pressing back against Bokuto's hand.

"Cum if you want Tetsurou."

One orgasm wasn't going to satisfy the heat anyway, Bokuto knew that.

Kuroo shook his head at first, whimpering and moaning at the intimate touching. Bokuto remained resolute and kept his motions slow and deep. He slipped a third finger into Kuroo and spread them, nudging the other's sweet spot in the process.

" _Fuck_!" Kuroo yelped.

Bokuto responded by toying with the spot, free hand moving to grip Kuroo's hip and hold him in place. A string of curses left Kuroo's lips as he came. Bokuto felt him clench around his fingers but the slickness didn't let up, he kept thrusting gently as Kuroo rode out his orgasm.

"That feel good?" He asked, leaning over Kuroo and kissing his shoulder.

"fuck yes..." Kuroo breathed, a lazy smile plastered on his face.

Bokuto hummed in amusement. "Well my knot will feel better."

" _oh fuck me_." Kuroo snorted, his dorkier side coming out now he was at ease.

"That's the plan." Bokuto retorted, inhaling the sweet scent of the other. "You wanna rest a bit or--"

"Nu-uh, I want it _now_."

Bokuto resisted making a remark, instead he pressed another kiss to Kuroo's shoulder and straightened up again. He spent a few more moments stretching Kuroo out, wanting to be absolutely sure he wasn't going to hurt the other, before gently pulling his fingers out.

"Give me a moment." Bokuto stated, standing up from the bed to finally undo his own slacks. Kuroo craned his neck to watch, eyes hungrily roving over the powerful thighs that were always covered by knee-pads, the sight of Bokuto fully hard from just watching him cum made Kuroo shiver. "Like what you see?" Bokuto raised an eyebrow when he caught Kuroo staring.

"You're gonna tear me in half..." Kuroo murmured, a little embarrassed at his train of thought.

Bokuto chuckled. "No I’m not, because I've stretched you enough and I'm not gonna be rough about it." He opened the condom packet and made quick work of putting it on. "It's okay Tetsurou."

Kuroo nodded, letting out a low sigh. Bokuto's hands trailed down his back and squeezed his asscheeks. The sound of the lube bottle opening and closing preceded the cool sensation of lube being applied, mixing with his slick.

"Don't panic and clench up." Bokuto gently advised as he leaned over and nuzzled Kuroo's neck, rubbing the head of his cock against his hole.

As soon as Bokuto began pressing into him, Kuroo's body felt like it was going to give out. The rush of conflicting sensations made him moan as he felt the stretch that by all accounts should've been uncomfortable but was instead _pleasurable_. He felt his blood sing as the alpha kissed and nipped at his neck, coaxing him to press back against the cock, taking it deeper.

"There we go..." Bokuto whispered as he felt himself bottoming out. Kuroo was panting and moaning as he kept himself up on trembling elbows and shaking knees. He wrapped an arm around Kuroo, keeping him up and in place as he stilled. "how does this feel hm?"

"fuckitssogood..." Kuroo babbled "ohmyfuck."

Bokuto hummed, rocking his hips forward slightly and getting a whimper in return. "You're so tight Tetsu, _squeezing_ me so tightly." He bit at Kuroo's earlobe. "God I could stay here forever."

"Nngh..." Kuroo pined, wriggling his hips as best he could. "please--Kou please move."

Bokuto rocked his hips in short, slow movements, letting Kuroo grow accustomed to the sensation of being full. Loud, short gasps from the omega filling the silence between them. The arm he wrapped around Kuroo retreated slightly, fingers running up and down Kuroo's chest, toying with his nipples again and getting more reactions out of him.

"You want more?"

"Yes. Faster--"

Bokuto nodded, pulling back so he could exercise more control. He kept a firm grip on Kuroo's hips as he started thrusting faster, keeping his motions deep and knocking the air from Kuroo's lungs each time. Kuroo was tight, tight and wet, an alpha's dream omega. Bokuto was almost surprised at how close he was already.

" _fuck_ " He cussed as Kuroo's vocabulary was reduced to gasps and moans. He was pretty sure Kuroo was on the brink of cumming again judging by how tight he suddenly seemed and how loud he was being.

"I-I can't." Kuroo gasped abruptly, fingers curling into fists.

"I'm close." Bokuto growled, the force he was exerting on Kuroo's hips were sure to leave bruises. "Just hold on Tetsurou."

" _Nng_ " Kuroo whimpered, burying his face in the pillow as his elbows gave out. Bokuto placed a hand on Kuroo's upper back, pressing him further into the bed and changing the angle.

As Bokuto brushed Kuroo's sweet spot, a loud cry from Kuroo signalled his second orgasm. The tightness around Bokuto's cock pulled him over the edge, his knot catching slightly as he got sloppy with his thrusts. The sound of skin slapping against skin filled the air as Bokuto neared completion himself. He let out a low growl as he slammed his hips against Kuroo's. He leaned forward as his knot grew, biting at Kuroo's shoulder and getting a weak, spent whimper from the other.

He continued rocking his hips as he found himself snugly inside Kuroo. Keeping the other on edge a little as they both rode out their highs. He licked at the new bite-mark on Kuroo's skin, not quite a mating mark but rather close for comfort, nuzzling Kuroo's neck in an effort to comfort the other.

"...hey." He murmured as he noted Kuroo's eyes were open and watching him with a glazed gaze. "you good?"

Kuroo gave him a dorky smile. "I'm more than good..." He sighed, seeming completely at ease. "I just got my brains fucked out of me."

Bokuto snorted. "Well that's one way of putting it." He rocked his hips back, wincing a little. "We're kinda stuck like this for a while."

"Yeah..." Kuroo didn't seem to care, which was somewhat comforting to Bokuto.

He took the time to pepper Kuroo's shoulder and cheek with light kisses, nuzzling his neck and brushing his trademark bed hair away from his eyes. Kuroo hummed in content, watching Bokuto's tender expression the entire time. Hands gently rubbed soothing circles into tight muscles, lips met in slow clumsy kisses.

This was the aftermath of Kuroo's heat, or at least, this round of it.

"Do you know how long you'll be placid like this?" Bokuto hummed as he brushed the back of his hand over Kuroo's cheek.

"Hmmm...no cause I’ve never taken an alpha's cock." Kuroo replied sleepily.

Bokuto snorted. "Okay well do you mind if I take a shower? _Actually_ , you could probably do with one."

"Noooo..." Kuroo whined. "I don't wanna move..."

There was a small chuckle from Bokuto as he gently pulled away and pulled out once his knot had deflated. He spent a few moments debating whether to leave Kuroo to rest of not as the other seemed content just to fall asleep right then and there.

He gently took hold of one of Kuroo's arms and hauled him to his unsteady feet. "Come on, at least rinse off the sweat." Bokuto declared as Kuroo let out a whine of protest again. "You can sleep afterwards."

"Meanie..." Kuroo pouted as Bokuto got him into the bathroom and got the hot water running. Bokuto poked out his tongue in response, getting a laugh out of Kuroo.

"You weren't saying that half an hour ago." He remarked, testing the water temperature.

"Shut up..."

Bokuto smiled as he stepped under the warm spray of the shower. Kuroo's eyes drank in how the water droplets ran down Bokuto's back, how the muscles flexed as he moved, how his hair flattened under the cascading water.

"Admiring the view?" Bokuto remarked over his shoulder, eyebrow raised.

"Hell yeah," Kuroo replied without hesitation. "wanna try and stop me?"

A hand reaching out and grasping his tugged Kuroo into the tight confinement of his shower. Lips on his neck pulled a soft moan from him as he found himself pressed against the wall of the shower. He wrapped his arms around Bokuto and held him close, burying his face in the crook of the other's neck.

"Hmm this isn't getting you clean is it?" Bokuto teased, trailing his fingers up and down Kuroo's side.

"Oh what a _tragedy_..." Kuroo murmured.

Bokuto didn't say anything as he coaxed Kuroo to turn around, strong hands pressing against his back as the water continued to fall. Kuroo was vaguely aware of the sound of a bottle being opened before he felt Bokuto's hands on his shoulders, large soothing circles were rubbed into his tense muscles, the faint smell of citrus filling the air.

"As I said, you can sleep afterwards." Bokuto spoke softly over the shower. "Just relax Tetsurou."

"Mmhm." Kuroo let Bokuto fuss over him, feeling the tension that had built up over several days melt away under the touch of the alpha.

He must've fallen into a light doze as the next thing he was aware of was Bokuto shutting off the shower and scooping him up in his arms.

"You've been working out." Kuroo remarked quietly as the feeling of weightlessness became apparent in his mind.

"Yeah, gotta be able to pick up my boyfriend from time to time." Bokuto whispered back as he carried Kuroo back into his bedroom and set him back on his feet. "Put some clothes on whilst I sort out the mess of your sheets."

Kuroo nodded, half-asleep as he fumbled around in his closet for something loose and comfy to wear. Somewhere in his groggy mind he was aware that this was going to be the first time him and Bokuto shared a bed since the whole confessing drama. His smiled to himself.

With fresh sheets on the bed, Kuroo happily crawled under the covers and looked expectantly at Bokuto. "Come here."

"Thought you'd never ask." Bokuto grinned.

Being in bed with Bokuto made him feel safer than he'd ever felt. Snuggling up to him, Kuroo felt an arm wrap around him, warm and comforting. The post-sex exhaustion was catching up to him as he sighed heavily and buried his face in Bokuto's shirt.

"Hey," he murmured.

"Hey." Bokuto replied quietly.

"...thanks."

"For what?" Bokuto's voice had an air of humour in it.

"Not being...weird about everything."

Bokuto chuckled, chest vibrating under Kuroo's cheek. "Tetsu, I fucking love you. I'm not gonna 'get weird' over your alignment."

"Yeah but--"

"You know how long I've been freakin' crushing on you? A year and a half."

"Shut up, you have not." Kuroo snorted.

"Ask Keiji. He'll back me up."

Kuroo shook his head. "Fine. Well I've been crushing on you for at least a year...and apparently it was obvious to my entire god damn team."

Bokuto's laugh was louder this time. "You're not the master at subtlety you think you are." He teased, poking Kuroo's nose. "Provocation and blocking, sure, but subtlety, no."

"Stop bullying me!" Kuroo pined.

"I'm not _bullying_ you, just telling it as it is."

"Pft." Kuroo wriggled in Bokuto's hold, turning around with his back to the other. "But still, what took you so long to confess?"

Bokuto rolled over to spoon Kuroo, pressing a kiss to the back of his neck. "Well, I didn't want you to think I was only trying to get in your pants."

Kuroo craned his neck to glance at Bokuto. "Seriously?"

"Yeah." Bokuto tried to hide his slightly rosy cheeks behind Kuroo's shoulder. "Like, I didn't want it to seem like I was just a big bad alpha taking advantage of my best friend's alignment...okay I didn't exactly _plan_ to tell you in the middle of a match but..."

"It was very Bokuto of you." Kuroo hummed.

"So what made _you_ take so long to...well confess?"

Kuroo swallowed. "Well the alignment was most of it..." He thought back to his conversation with Kai on the train, the comforting words the other offered. "and uh, the rest of it was college."

"College?"

"Yeah, like, we're both trying to get scholarships to Tokyo right? Well I wasn't sure if it would be fair of me to confess with all that happening...like I almost didn't wanna play against you in case I make you look bad in front of talent scouts."

"And what's changed that hm?" Bokuto's voice was quiet, a low rumble against Kuroo's back.

"Kai spoke some sense into me, mainly about how they don't just look for the victors but the graceful losers; the ones who play because they're passionate, because they're gifted but aren't arrogant about it, because they love turning up game after game regardless of the previous score." Kuroo's voice trailed off. "How they pick the aces that don't let one defeat ground them, but instead use it to better themselves."

Bokuto hummed. "So now you don't feel as bad about potentially making me lose huh?" He chuckled. "I like the sound of this challenge."

Kuroo snorted. "If you hadn't of confessed and thrown me off, Nekoma would've won that match and you know it."

"Shut up!" Bokuto bolted upright. "We totally had it in the bag with Keiji's setter dump."

"Kenma can do it too y'know, he's just lazy."

Bokuto leaned over Kuroo, lips brushing against the shell of his ear. "1500¥ says Fukurodani will beat Nekoma next time too."

"Deal. And if Nekoma wins you also have to buy me dinner." Kuroo smirked.

"Pft, guess I better make sure my bank account can handle _that_." Bokuto sighed, flopping back down on the bed.

"Love you Kou."

"and I love you too, you 'pain in the ass' as Keiji says."

"Wait he says _what_?" Kuroo's voice cracked as he propped himself up on an elbow to give Bokuto an accusing look.

Bokuto broke into a fit of giggles. "He calls you a pain in the ass, or more accurately; 'pain in the ass Kuroo-san'. See he's a polite boy."

"Wait til I see him next..." Kuroo pouted, returning to laying down as Bokuto's arm wrapped around him again.

"Don't you dare touch my setter."

"Now _that_ just sounds weird."

"You're weird."

"But you love me anyway."

"Hell yeah I do!"

Kuroo smiled into the pillow. It meant the world to him that regardless of the heat sex, Bokuto was still being , well _Bokuto_ around him; his best friend, his partner in crime, the one who could make him laugh 'til his sides hurt but also push him to his limit in a game. Sure they may be about to start one of the most challenging years of volleyball they've faced, a year that will pit them against each other eventually and prove once and for all which team is superior, but through it all Kuroo had faith that Bokuto would still be Bokuto and they'd be able to leave the rivalries on the court.

Well, _most_ of the rivalries.

"I still think Nekoma can easily beat you." Kuroo remarked quietly.

"Listen here you little shit--"

After all, it wouldn't be normal for them if their relationship didn't have a little healthy competition, and Kuroo wouldn't have it any other way.

 

 


End file.
